How to Help Someone With Depression & Stress

Depression and stress are medical problems that present themselves in emotional ways. Though awareness of both is spreading, people still believe depression is best solved with a simple "snap out of it," and that the best solution to stress is just to relax. But it's not that easy. Helping a friend or family member with these medical disorders is a matter of understanding her and encouraging the appropriate medical treatment.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand depression. Depression is a disease caused by irregular brain chemistry. But its symptoms may cause you to believe the person is just in a bad mood. Understanding that the person is sick is an important first step to recovery.

• 2

  Understand stress. Stress is not entirely a function of what's happening around you. It's also a function of your ability to deal with it. People with stress problems feel overwhelmed by things that others can handle easily. Those with stress problems require help in the form of stress management therapy. Depression can worsen stress, and the two often go together.

• 3

  Know the symptoms. Symptoms of depression include lethargy, sadness, crying spells, sleeping problems, indecision, fatigue, indifference, lack of focus, changes in weight and even physical pain. More intense signs of depression include feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts or behavior. Stress presents dozens of symptoms through the body, mind and actions. They include sleep problems, irritability, nausea, drug and alcohol abuse, headache, social withdrawal, forgetfulness and heart palpitations.

• 4

  Encourage help for depression. Because depression is a medical disease, it requires corresponding medical treatment. But the person may feel embarrassed. The encouragement of a friend can make the social stigma of depression far less fearsome. You may go so far as to offer to schedule and even attend the first appointment. If that doesn't work, tell the person his symptoms could be the result of another medical condition, and it's best to have them ruled out.

• 5

  Intervene if necessary. Depression sometimes reaches such an advanced state that the person can no longer think rationally and may even be harmful to herself. A call to the doctor or trip to the emergency room may be in order.

• 6

  Recommend stress-relieving therapy. If the person has seen a doctor for depression, the doctor may well have recommended breathing and relaxation techniques or prescribed anti-anxiety medication. Other therapies, such as yoga, meditation, and regular exercise also can help.